Walk through life as if you have something to learn, and you will.

Off to Basel tonight! Just as I get into the swing and routine of swimming every day. Perhaps I will take my bathers with me just in case. Presumably there must be an indoor pool somewhere in that little town! Mind you, I’m usually exhausted by the end of every day of AVES so perhaps it’s enough of a work out in itself. We’ll see how we go.

Am looking forward to the week ahead. We are focusing this week on Palestrina (2 madrigals and 3 motets) and the Art of Diminution, or ornamentation. Looking at the scores, the diminutions are usually in the soprano or bass parts, but I get the feeling that we will be trying some revoicing, and doing some all male versions of things, so it’s very possible I’ll be singing a soprano part at some point, and so will need to have practiced some of the written out diminutions. My parts are almost all written in alto clef, so I am having to really concentrate when I practice. It probably wouldn’t be such a big deal if it wasn’t so similar to tenor clef, which I can read fluently thanks to my cello studies, and it’s so easy to forget that it’s actually just that little bit different. I’m sure everyone will have worked hard at their respective strange clefs, and that everything will go smoothly!

Swimming is going amazingly. I find myself walking around with so much more energy now. Yesterday was the first time I’d gone swimming in the morning and wow, what a difference that made too. Perfect way to wake myself up, and then to be on such a high for the rest of the day was incredible. As I said, I’m a bit disappointed that I’m probably not going to get back in a pool until next weekend. And then the following week will be the real test, because I actually have things on in that week, and will actually need to fit my swim in around a schedule! I’m sure I will find a way to make it work. Just have to remember that after a 15 minute walk there, the time it takes to get changed, a 40 minute swim, the time it takes to shower and get dressed again, and then the 15 minute walk home… It’s normally about a 2 hour round trip. So if I have to leave for the city at 10, am going to have to leave for a swim at 7:30! Not something I’ve done for a loooong time.

Right, time to pack!